To honor Donald Ayo, University president, for his continued service to the community, the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Frank Kennedy Citizen of the Year Award at their 35th annual awards banquet Jan. 25. The award, which was established in 1984, honors Frank Kennedy who served the youth of Lafourche parish.
This year, the ceremony was held in the Cotillion Ballroom with a record attendance.
“I do not think anyone does these things alone,” Ayo said. “They have a lot of help and inspiration over the years to do these things.”
Ayo’s inspiration is best explained by a saying from Sir Isaac Newton: “I have seen further than others because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
“I think there are a lot of people in my life that I have had the opportunity to stand on their shoulders to learn about caring, learn about doing for your fellow man and for your community,” Ayo said.
The only criteria for the award is that the nominee be a good citizen. Ayo explained that what matters most is what people contribute to the community and the types of charitable organizations with which they are involved.
Ayo has served in capacities ranging from volunteer to chairman of fund-raisers to president of various organizations.
“I have had the privilege of serving everywhere from being president of Catholic Charities to [working with] the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and cystic fibrosis [organizations],” Ayo said.
According to a University press release, Hugh Hamilton, 2001 chairman of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, acknowledged Ayo’s contributions to the economic development of this area and the state. These contributions include the development of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, the Louisiana Center for Women in Government and the South Louisiana Economic Council, all located on the Nicholls campus.
Vic Lafont, executive director of the South Louisiana Economic Council, nominated Ayo for the award.
Ayo “fit all the criteria” for the award, said Lafont.
Lafont said that Kennedy was dedicated to education and “had the vision to organize development of this region.” Ayo, he believes is much like Kennedy in this way.
Ayo, being the recipient of this award, gave Nicholls “immediate attention” across the state, Lafont said.
“It shows that [Nicholls] is in the ballpark, we are doing what the state wants us to do,” he said.
In 1959, Ayo began teaching at Nicholls as a Plant Science instructor. In 1967, he earned the highest faculty rank of Alcee Fortier Professor and became University president in 1983.
“A word of advice to all of our people is to become involved in [your] community. Everyone has a certain talent, everyone has a certain skill that can be very helpful to [your] fellow man,” Ayo said.
“I feel that everyone needs to give something back and I know in my particular case, this area has been very, very good to me. I have always felt that it is very critical that you give something back,” he said.
